Dark Ruins
by Cantadora
Summary: A shell in the shape of a girl comes to town, all that is left of her is dark tainted ruins, and her bad temper ...
1. Terribly different

I was screwed from everywhere you looked at it. I was in the Middle of Nowhere, US; under age and running from the authorities. I was somewhere in the country side, where everything was farms and fields. I was screwed enough then, but now the Police caught me, put me into a cell for 72 hours, plus I have nowhere to go after they let me out, so my guess was that I would be three to four days before I was released, not to mention that they would watch me for a week, and then I would be able to escape yet again.

I think it was the haircut that saved me, but thank god they had no idea who I am, since I refused to say my name, and I have no documents on me, or none that they could find. I was screwed, there was no better word for it.

It was cool to be in jail, it really was. It was on one of mine 'to do' lists, but three days were a little too much, even for my sense of humor.

I heard the sound of footsteps and of keys being jingled. I sighed, it was pure torture to see somebody being released, I wanted to scream each time they were letting somebody go. I shook my head when the sound stopped. There were three seconds of pure agonizing silence, where I couldn't feel anything.

"GET UP!" – A yell came right from the door of my cell and I jumped, nearly hitting my head in the bed over mine.

"What the fuck!???" - I yelled in return, getting up from the bed.

"You are bein' lucky, miss. It's your turn to go; the officers have found you a job."

"A job?" - I exclaimed mortified, horrified. "Oh, no, I prefer to stay here."– I was being serious, I had no intention of working, there was no way on earth I could do such a thing. "I'm going to break a fingernail!" – I exclaimed sarcastically. Maybe I would be put in the jail again for assaulting an officer?

"Told you Ginny, you shouldn't do this, this girl causes only problems." The officer said to somebody.

"It comes from my mother's line." – I said, smirking.

"So you are finally goin' to tell us your name?" Sheriff Ben Lassiter asked in the typical country accent.

"No way, but if I hit you, will it force you to throw me out and let me go?" – The already old sheriff made a face, shook his head, but opened the door never the less. He looked at somebody I couldn't see, probably Ginny as he spoke.

"She's your responsibility now, but I still don't like it." – The girl, or woman, or whoever she was didn't answer but in the next 15 minutes I was released, with my luggage on my back. She just pointed at a truck, and I got into it obediently. After all, I might as well get comfortable before I run away again.

"We are here." – She said giving me a warm smile. I had closed my eyes, my iPod on max. I looked around, removing my headphones. It was yet again fields with a big ranch. Didn't people get tired of all this similarity, everything was so identical. The moment I walked out, I realized that it was right after sunrise, and a second after that I saw that we weren't alone. There were two enormous men, and I mean it. I had always been tall, and with my habit of wearing heels I was even taller, but they both loomed over me. I wasn't intimidated, men were the last thing that could scare me, but there was something dangerous about them, something that made me jumpy. That wasn't scared, right, it only put me on high alert. I looked at them from head to toe, watching their expensive clothes. I arched a brow then dismissed them entirely by looking around. I heard the sound of horses, after all this _was_ a farm, even if the farmers didn't look like farmers at all.

"Those two are Rafael and Zacarias, I'm Ginny and Colby should be around." I barely heard her, not paying attention, but the first name rang in my mind, reminding me of someone, could it really be him? I shook my head deciding that either way I was going to be me.

"No offence, but why am I here?" They exchanged glances.

"Our understanding was that you have a few months until you reach the age of 18, we offered the police that you may live here, and we could use you for work." I made a face, I was doomed, I was even _more_ screwed.

"And you are letting me in your home from the goodness of your hearts?" I asked sarcastically. There was no way in world someone would do that, they had to have a profit from all this.

"Yes." One of the men said, and his gaze seemed to pierce my very soul. HE was so sure, there was no disrespecting that voice, nor that man in general. I felt the hair rise on my neck, as the wind touched my skin, bringing coldness and fear. I looked around high in alert, feeling the ground with my mind, rather than with my eyes. The surge of power wasn't coming from me, but all the ties were pointing at that same man.

"Well, I'm not fucking stupid, I _feel _you, no man on earth would do what you did, specially not some rich idiots, no offence. " Ah, maybe that was my way of telling them that I knew that they were no men at all.

"Watch your words, in this house you would not speak like that to me." His voice was low and memorizing, just as I found myself smiling. I was going to ignore the fact that we weren't in the house, but out side, under the dark sky, but my grin didn't have anything to do with that fact.

"Well, dude, I don't wanna be here, and if pissing you off is going to force you to kick me out of here, than I'm going to piss you off as frequently as I can." My smile was genuine and extremely happy, not forced at all. He took a meaningful step toward me, reaching with his hand and removing my sunglasses. I caught his arm, my smile turning into a grimace. "Ain't happening, dude." I muttered, as I turned his wrist, in an angle meant to break more than a few bones. I did hear the crack, but it was too small, to be painful enough. He didn't wince or flinch or react in any way, except with power. He seemed to breathe with it, while I suffocated. The other man stepped closer, putting a hand on his shoulder and pulling him back. He murmured something in his ear and the surge of power died away. "You may as well learn control." I muttered just as the other man glared at me. "Rafael, right?" He nodded "Stop glaring at me, he deserved it. When I don't want to be touched, I don't want to be touched." I saw, Zacarias relocate his wrist, without flinching and I smiled. I could feel his anger like a living thing in the air.

"So, are you good with horses?" Ginny asked.

"I'm good with animals in general, they seem to understand my primal instincts." It was half a joke.

"You must excuse my brother, why don't you make yourself at home, Ginny will show you your room."

"Make myself at home, you say?" He nodded and I smiled, a truly warm and good smile. "Do you by any chance, work with the Police, or have strong ties with authority figures?" I asked. He arched a brow but shook his head. My mood lightened.

"If you need any kind of help, I can manage to speak with them."

"No, that is not necessary. Will the sheriff or any other kind of police come by to monitor me?"

"No, that job is only ours."

"And why didn't the Police call my parents?"

"They don't know who you are."

"But they never checked for me in the data base?"

"I thought it wasn't necessary, you father is coming over here tomorrow anyway."

"You are bluffing." But the blood was already draining from my face.

"I know who he is, but he is not coming tomorrow." He stated and I went still. "Welcome to my home, Celene Marie Cartel." I swallowed hard.

"Rafael De La Cruz, it is so _not_ nice meeting you." I said, anger flaring in my veins.

"I'm glad to see that you finally stopped flavoring leather." I couldn't help but grin. I've known this man since childhood, and even then leather had been my best friend. I raised my shirt enough to show him the leather corset under it. Of all things, he laughed.

"Promise me you are not going to tell him" His laughter died, if he didn't give me that promise I would be gone the moment they all went to sleep.

"I know who he is, I won't" he was one of those men whose word meant something and I believed him. I bowed from the neck, grateful. I paid a glance at his brother's direction, maybe I should have apologized, but my pride was too big.

"So, horses you say?" I turned to look at the one named Ginny. At first she was too stunned to speak, and then she just pointed with her thumb behind her shoulder. I nodded, dropping by backpack on the ground. I removed my shades, giving them to Zacarias, whose eyes locked on mine immediately. I removed my top, revealing the beautiful corset, and then stripped my baggy trousers. Under them I was wearing pants, not leather mind me, but they were black, and fit perfectly. I snatched my glasses from him and walked past them, leaving everything on the ground. When I was a few meters away, I broke into a run, running into the night, where I belonged.

* * *

"I'm jealous" Stated Ginny and the two brothers raised an eyebrow in perfect synchrony.

"What is to be jealous about?" Zacarias asked, looking after the girl that had seemed to disappear in the shadows of the night.

"Look at the way she walks, those heels are more than three inches high. I wish I could learn to do that." Rafael blinked, it did seem amazing that the girl could walk in the dusty soul so easily, but Selene has always managed to do things others couldn't.

"Maybe she could teach you." Offered Rafael to ease his lifemate's sister.

"I'm afraid that things like that could never be learned, it's not like school, hers is perfectly natural talent and whatever I do it would never be like her."

"She had worn high heels for a long time, since I remember her, actually, but I really do not understand the need to walk on such things. It's traumatizing, not to mention that her spine could be damaged."

"Her spine is perfect." Muttered Zacaias ,surprising them. "What has happened to her, her back is only scars?"

"If you want to know, ask her."

* * *

I ran, and ran, and ran until anything but the wind blowing at my face disappeared ….


	2. I don't belong to anyone

I ran, and ran, and ran until anything but the wind blowing at my face disappeared ….

At some point I made the effort to force my senses to work. I seeked for any kind of water, wanting so much to feel the transparent liquid around my body that I couldn't wait. I felt a hot spring, buried deep under the mountain, and I quickly found my way inside the cave. I longed so much for a bath, that my undressing was in time of seconds, but even in my rush I put my knife in reach. The chance was pretty small, but I could feel how rich the soul was and it could have been used as a lair, to vampire and to a Carpathian. In every case, I did not want to be seen naked from either of them. I hissed as the heat of the water caressed my skin, wrapping around my frame like a thick blanket. I let my muscles relax, as the water drained the tension from them. I could feel them aching, and I smiled feeling content, but strangely not safe. There was that knot in my stomach, alerting me to danger, or was it just my imagination? Never the less, I drew the knife closer, taking the handle in my hand, sure enough that I knew I could defend myself properly with it, without hurting myself. Do you know how hard it is to fight with a blade and not wound yourself; it takes a lot of tries before you reach success. Slowly, I walked out of the pool. Dressing quickly and moving out of the cave ever quicker. The moment the wind touched my skin I shuddered. Strangely I was feeling cold. I found my way back in no time, an hour or so before dawn. I bags weren't by the truck, meaning that they were put somewhere inside. I seeked for Ginny's presence and found her in the kitchen. I walked to her, obviously startling her as I spoke.

"Hey, where are my stuff?" She jumped god only knows how high and spun around to face me.

"You scared the shit out of me" I grinned.

"Careful, in this house you shouldn't speak in such manner." I said pressing a finger to my lips, mimicking his voice. She didn't grin, but looked over my shoulder at someone. I burst out laughing. "He is right behind me, isn't he" She slowly nodded and I turned around, facing the one named Zacarias. It was so like me to notice how handsome he was with that strong nose and masculine jaw, his black hair falling down his shoulders.

"At least you have learned something."

"You wanna bet? I don't learn so easily, and it's such a joy to piss you off." He didn't seem to listen though; there was that frown on his face that I wanted so much to remove. He seemed so concentrated and obviously on me, that it bugged the hell out of me.

"Why does everything in you is fake?" It was the strangest questions of all, and really rude. I blinked a few times before I responded.

"Oh trust me, everything in my 'perfect' body is carved by God." You know, I have always had a thing for sarcasm and irony, they were such a good buddies. It wasn't a lie, it wasn't like my boobs were fake or something.

"I didn't mean that, but you are wearing some kind of contacts, a wig, and even your voice is so perfectly mastered that I'm sure it's not your own." I glared at him, giving him my full unhappy glare. I was indeed imagining his head driven on a wooden stake, he might as well be aware of it.

"She believes that it is enough to protect her from her lifemate ever finding her, if she has one." Rafael said as he walked into the room, standing behind his brother. It was hard not to notice the resemblance.

"Unfortunately I do have a lifemate, and it does protect me."

"But it doesn't make any sense, why would you do such a thing while your lifemate is probably close to turning, you are bonding him to eternal suffering out of pure selflessness."Ginny exclaimed. Well when you put it like that …

"Let him suffer, he has turned around his Prince in the past, you tell me, doesn't he deserve to suffer a little? Plus it's better for him to face the dawn, then to have to handle me. Even your brother, Rafael, finds me really irritating, the guy with the iron will, the eldest of the De La Cruz brothers. Whoever he is, he'll try and dominate, which ain't gonna happen while I live. So … we, as us, have no chance, so why bother?" I shrugged, sitting on one of the chairs, putting my legs on top of the table, showing off my leather boots. Zacarias walked toward me, roughly removing my legs off the table.

"Why are you wet?" I fought not to laugh, as a normal teenager, at least on that subject, my dirty subconscious was quickly responding, and his words sounded to naughty he didn't even realize it.

"I was at the hot spring." He arched a perfect eyebrow.

"And what exactly were you doing there?" I rolled my eyes.

"What can I possibly do in an empty cave and a pool of mineral water that were right under my nose?" I asked as if he was stupid. "I was taking a bath."

"I hope you are aware that the soil is rich there, and is a perfect lair for vampires and Carpathian alike."

"I was more than aware, thank you very much."

"Why did you even go there then?"

"Just to bug the hell out of you, now move away, you are into my personal space." In fact, even if I hated to admit it, he was getting a little intimidating and that was enough to irritate me. On my place you were going to be scared to death, if he looked at you with the same predatory gaze, the way he looked at me. I just gave him flat eyes, and looked at him calmly. He leaned even closer and that made my anger flare. My knife was on his throat in a blink. He didn't flinch, nor stepped away. I pressed the cold steel a bit harder, drawing blood. I licked my lips, as a smile formed on my face. He didn't react in any way, but his gaze seemed to pierce my soul, as our eyes locked. I swallowed hard, just as he tensed.

"What is wrong with your eyes?" He asked gently. I forced myself to look away, but my weapon never moved. In a flash, his fingers wrapped around my wrist like a shackle and the knife was thrown away. I cursed under my breath, and he gave me a look. I cursed even more.

"I Don't Like To Be Touched!" I muttered, glaring at him in full force, sending my anger to him in every way possible.

"I don't like many things either, but the world doesn't spin around what I like and don't, now does it." He said and I raised two eyebrows in defiance.

"This world does, dear Zacarias, I will enjoy hurting you and that is never a good sigh."

"You cannot hurt me, angel, even if you try."

"There is not a drop of goodness in me to call me an angel. Let me enlighten you, right now you are hurting me, if you had any honor left you would leave me alone. "

"Answer my question first, and I will do so." I just waited, my impatience getting the best of me. "You say that your lifemate plotted against the Prince, it that correct?"

"Plotted once, he can't regret it since he has no emotion. He has brothers and the only thing I know is that he is the eldest of the and the only one left without .. oh fuck, no ,no, no … " I looked at Rafael, then at Zacarias. Now that was the strange draw I had toward than man. The good thing was that he had no emotions because they were never triggered by my real voice, meaning that he wasn't gonna miss me when I leave. "Fuck you _lifemate_, I can already read your mind, I'm not yours, I'll never be. You can die in misery all you want, there is not a thing in the world that could make me want you, or love you. It's what you want isn't it, to be loved? You are not getting anything from me, you fucking son of a bitch!"


	3. stronger than you think

"Plotted once, he can't regret it since he has no emotion. He has brothers and share their … oh fuck, no ,no, no … " I looked at Rafael, then at Zacarias. Now that was the strange draw I had toward than man. The good thing was that he had no emotions because they were never triggered by my real voice, meaning that he wasn't gonna miss me when I leave. "Fuck you lifemate, I can already read your mind, I'm not yours, I'll never be. You can die in misery all you want, there is not a thing in the world that could make me want you, or love you. It's what you want isn't it, to be loved? You are not getting anything from me, you fucking son of a bitch!" I raised from my seat, kicking at the chair, my anger so strong that in that moment it was my living force, I had nothing else to rely on.

The windows slammed open a wild wind slipped inside the room, swirling around me like a blanket, ready to strike the moment I asked. He straightened, shining in his full glory, looming over me yet again. But this time I just wasn't intimidated, he made that thing in me click and he was about to feel the full force of it only on him. Well, if I was able to control it, but if I couldn't they were all going to feel what made me, me. I had no intention of holding back, I was pissed off at him and I had the strange need to prove myself. The wind was merciful even to me; I just let the illusions fade. My thick black hair was back, cascading down my shoulders, reaching the curve of my ass, my eyes glowing with the enormous power my human body was trying to hold. I took a treating step toward him, then another. He stepped back, and I stepped closer. It wasn't about cowardice, there was really no such thing with any Carpathian, it was about giving me some space, but even as dumb as he was, he knew that he overstepped some lines, or maybe I was totally wrong and he just didn't want to fight through wind and anger to reach me.

"Celene, don't do this." I heard the faint voice, Rafael's, just as I felt that he was contacting his brothers and people quickly, but the wind blew the whispers away, just because I really didn't want to hear them. I hissed, letting the wind carry my voice over the land, until it reached everyone and alerted them that the darkness was pissed and was coming to get them.

"You fucking asshole, thinking you can name yourself as my lifemate, who do you think you are? Well, let me enlighten you, you can't handle me, but you still think that there is nothing that can stop you, now you know. I'm the wind, the water, the earth, and the fire. Controlling the elements and bending them to your will is ain't happening, you can't dominate over me, I will never let it happen, and with that, they will never let you, not when I ask them to. You can't fight so many at once, and you'll never get the chance. I don't care how old, powerful or smart you think you are. I prefer to suffer till the end of my life, then be bond to you, or to anyone else as a matter of fact. I will not spend the rest of my life, that is not that much, with someone self-centered, egoistic egomaniac as you! I deny everything you are, everything you stand for, I will fight you, fight you till the end of my days. " I stopped to take a breath, but I could feel my blood burning my insides, as flames licked at my skin.

"Fight in the days, amour, but give me the nights."

"You persistent son of … "But he was already gone, disappearing like he had never been there. _Coward!_ I yelled after him, and he was acting like one. An impression of a self-mocking smile came as a response, just as a tread of sunlight broke over the horizon. "Gee, and here I thought you could stand the morning hours." I muttered sarcastically.

"We can, but he was advised to go to ground." Rafael answered behind me.

"Your hospitality is a great honor, Rafael De La Cruz, but I don't think I'm welcomed here anymore, or at least I don't wish to be." _You will go nowhere, I will not let you wonder around the world when you are even under age. I will not allow it. _His persistent voice came in my mine unwelcomed. It was so charismatic and strangely suiting. A powerful compulsion_. Watch me._ My response was short, but spoke volumes. He had no time to answer before I cut the connection, making my shields back to impenetrable.

"During the day the house is almost empty, only Paul and Ginny are here, with a few other employee, you are more than welcome to stay and you know it."

"Who is Paul?"


	4. claustrophobic

"Who is Paul?" With my question hanging in the air they left, and by them I meant Rafael's lifemate also, a beautiful woman with wild hair and gorgeous eyes. She did look nice, but in spite everything else I liked Ginny more. I shook my head, not really wanting to find out who Paul was, and by the sounds of it, he was indeed human just like Ginny.

The strange thing was that I thought that Rafael lived in Brazil, not in this godforsaken place, but knowing Rafael, even in Brazil his house would be somewhere no human could reach. I sighed and no matter that I was just coming from a mineral pool, I went into the bathroom and took a long shower. The moment I stepped out of it, I felt it. I ran toward the closest window, trying to open it, but I couldn't. Then I tried with the front door, but it was like glued, it was impossible. I called for an element, all of them or just one, I didn't care, I wanted out, but none of them responded, they couldn't reach me, and it hurt, even though I knew that there was a storm outside just because they couldn't reach me. I wanted to scream, to tear and claw …

* * *

Despite the fact that I was used to sleep most of the day, and spend more time with my sister, despite the fact that I was dead on my feet, I intentionally woke up around four o'clock in the afternoon, wanting to enjoy the sun only home could provide, and take a long ride on one of the horses was the next thing on the schedule.

Brushing my still damp hair from the shower, and going down the stairs, my mind lingered on the unknown woman that was in the house. I had to admit that the girl had balls to speak to Zacarias like that, and piss him off without knowing that she was his lifemate. In all the years I've known Zacarias, even if they were a few, not once I've seen him like that, so angry and strangely – possessive. I caught sight of the girl in question in the living room.

She was sitting on top of the table, in a meditating position, her hands on her knees, her posture calm. Selene opened her eyes and green fire blazed at me. Storms were swirling in those green irises, and despite her calm posture those eyes spoke volumes. She looked like a caged animal, wild and untamed, locked in a cell. Small shudders took over her body now and then, just as the room seemed to breathe with power, her power. I swallowed hard, she really looked dangerous, like she was ready to jump everyone , and kill and tear her way out. As I got closer I could see where she had clawed at her own hands, and the marks of nails scratching flesh were deep, and blood still dripped from some of them.

"Jesus, are you okay?" I saw her grunting her teeth and very much glaring at me, yes she was definitely not okay. I took the medical kid from the kitchen and dragged a chair. I sat in front of her, as I gently took her hand in mine and cleaned the wounds, not even bothering to count them, not sure if I was _able_ to count them, at all. She let her head fall back as the biting sting was indeed helping, but the tremors were taking over her body, one more violent then the next. "What's happening? Tell me."

"That idiot put safeguards on the place, strong and powerful, one that have locked my every way out, and they were enough to stop the elements from reaching me, which is painful enough without the fact that I am really claustrophobic. Even in the prison there was an open window and it was enough, but now I don't even thing I can breathe. "She whispered, and I saw claw marks even on her neck. I sat on top of the table, behind her back, and cleaned them as well. I could see her hair moving out of my way on its own accord, as it was really alive.

I tried hard not to pay attention at the window, and the storm that was going out there, but I couldn't help but worry about the horses, strangely I couldn't hear a sound from them, as if they weren't protesting. There was a loud crack mixed with some other noise and I saw a tree in the yard break in two and collapse.

"Zacarias did this?" I asked and she nodded, her teeth grunted, her muscles tensed. "With such a storm going he would probably raise early." She nodded and took a deep breath, then another, but it was like she couldn't get enough.

"I can't breathe." She whispered, still trying. There was no obvious reason that she couldn't breathe, but if she was really as claustrophobic as she said, she was probably in panic.

"Elements, think that they are all around you, they are in the air you breathe. Just think of something positive, okay."While she tried that, I untied her corset the removed in from her body, giving her freedom. She was left in a bra, but there wasn't option such as being shy, plus she didn't seem that type of girl. "Will pure water help you, like a shower or a bath?" She shrugged. "Well, we are about to try." I helped her on her feet, and after letting the water run down her body, as cold as it could be, her body seemed to relax, just a fragment, but it was there.

Unfortunately I was in the shower with her, still wearing my clothes, mind me, and my teeth were chattering from the cold. I couldn't stop asking myself why would Zacarias do such thing if he knew what it would do to her, there was no way he couldn't feel her distress, right? The door to the bathroom opened and we both jumped.

"Is she okay? Nicolas is awake, and is asking what the hell is happening?"

"That's Paul." I said to Selene, " I don't care how Nicolas do it, but I want him to wake up Zacarias and force him to come in the house and fix his own mess, or I promise to kick him in the balls and make sure that he will have to children!" I yelled and Paul, and through him, at Nicolas.

"Gin, since when do you speak like that, is that really you?" Paul teased "The little girl bared her teeth, were his exact words before he cut the connection. " He explained and grinned. I rolled my eyes. Suddenly her whole body tensed and her head snapped up.

"He is fucking awake, in the name of God, I pray that a tree hits him, then a lightning strucks him, and the earth swallows him." I fought not to laugh when I heard the first lightning hit the ground and tear the sky. Zacarias was in a deep shit, that girl was really mad at him. She stood up, and walked out of the bathroom, her hair swirling and curling in anger. Even I felt the moment Zacarias removed the safeguards and I ran fast enough to see Selene running out of the door and collapsing on the ground, with her hands buried in the soil.

* * *

I felt the moment he loomed over me, tall and strong, and strangely I noticed that the beat of his heart, matched not only mine, but the strong even rhythm of the earth. I felt the way it welcomed him, the way it beckoned and whispered to him, because the sun hasn't fallen over the horizon yet, the earth wanted to protect her children.

Even if the earth gave me her comfort and hers eternal stillness the moment I raised and faced him, saw those 'honorable' eyes, his possessive gaze, something in me clicked. Peacefulness didn't exist, right now I wanted to rip his head off and drive in on a stake. I was sure that he had no idea what he had done, so mercifully I send him my every emotion, the terrible emptiness, the caged and locked feeling, every last bit of it flew down the mental path to him to feel, along with the memory. I heard his sharp intake of breathe before he reached to examine my hand. I pulled my hand away, snapping my head up, my anger flaring to life, shooting daggers him.

"Go inside, the sun hasn't fallen yet." I muttered and just walked past him. He grabbed my forearm, stopping me dead on my tracks. I hissed at him, and strangely I slapped him. It was such a girlish thing to do, but it was a powerful humiliating tool against him. Stick it, ha! "Don't you ever learn? I do not like to be touched!" I yelled, snapping my arm out of his grip and walking past him. I broke into a run a few feet away from him, just as I called for the wind, just as the element swirled under my fingers, and I didn't stop my call, my inviting whispers until I was welcomed, until I became the air itself and human thought disappeared, there was only the feeling of freedom and open sky.

* * *

"Can she really do that? Did she just become the wind?" Asked Paul looked at the direction the girl has disappeared. There was silence before Ginny stormed at Zacarias' direction just before hell broke out.

"Who the hell do you think you are, you just went to sleep without carrying, locking her in the house and not even bothering to think of how it might affect her! Did you see her hands? Her neck? She scratched herself, drawing blood. And what you saw wasn't just the half of it, the shower healed most of them, they were more than I could count. Has it been so long, in a name of god, don't you even remember how a human being should be treated. Are you so close to turning that you can't see what have you done. Do you even care for her at all, or is it all for your own salvation. Learn from your brother's mistakes, forcing your lifemate into anything never works out well. Do you even think you can tame her, she is more than just a force of nature, she is the nature herself, the elements are what keep her alive and with your stupid safeguards you cut her way to reach them, not to mention that she is claustrophobic. I think that if she had a choice between being safe behind such safeguards as yours and facing a vampire, she would chose the vampire, just in case you think that the fact that she was safe justifies the means!"

Rafael had almost no idea what has happened, but he heard every word Ginny said and it was enough to fill him in. Colby was right next to him, and at that moment, with Ginny yelling at someone twice her size, she reminded him of his lifemate.

For a few seconds Zacarias blinked thunderstruck at Ginny's outburst, before he took his expression in control and just walked inside the house. Nothing made any sense, and god help him, he never indented on causing his lifemate such distress. Was he so close to turning that he could see what he was doing, were they both right?

* * *

Her mind had been closed to him for most of the night already, until he actually felt her in the yard. He stood up and walked toward her in the human way. She was on the ground, her legs crossed in meditating position. The gods were against him, he couldn't stop himself from admiring the way the moon showed the line of her bare back, or just as her position gave him a small sight of the valley between her ass cheeks. He swallowed hard; the need to put his claim was almost unbearable.

He leaned on a tree behind her, just as she shifted to lay her back on the soil and gaze at the sky. He swore under his breath as he noticed the Goosebumps on her skin. But he wasn't sure that she wanted to be taken cared of by him of all people.

* * *

"You should get inside, it's cold out here." His voice startled me so much that I jumped, my heart slamming in my chest, beat after beat. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." His voice was soft, apologetic even. I shook my head, an answer to him and my thoughts.

"I'm perfect." I said, but in fact I was close to freezing to death. I felt fabric touch my skin, before the blanket wrapped around me out of nowhere. Well, if you thought about it, taking it was better than agreeing with him and getting inside. I relaxed wishing that I could lose myself in those stars. I curled on a ball, closing my eyes, wanting to get lost in a world where there were no lifemates, or annoying Carpathians thinking they owned the world. I felt him lift me, his strong arms wrapping around me protectively.

"No, put me down, I'm not going back inside, I'm perfectly fine out here! Zacarias, don't, oh god please don't make me go there." I screamed in panic, I had no intention of seeing the inside of four walls ever again. I think it was the please that made him stop, that made him rethink. I felt humiliated to have to say please to someone, but I was so tired, exhausted too much to even struggle. He went to the nearest tree and sat on the ground with me in his lap. It felt silly to be like that, when I thought about it I wasn't that exhausted, I wasn't a child. But he was so warm, I could feel him even through the blanket, and unconsciously I snuggled closer, resting my head on his shoulder.

"If I wasn't so tired, I would be throwing a fit right now, I hope you know that." I whispered and his chuckle was enough to irritate me and I tried to raise my hand and really hit him. He caught my wrist and carefully inspected the scratches, as I never tried anything. I huffed and tried to snatch my hand, but there was no out of his grip. He wasn't hurting me but I had to fight not to panic. I tried desperately and he just looked at me in the eyes. His fingers let me go gently, but his voice was calculating. I bit my lip, but still I relaxed the moment I felt no treat. I stared into nowhere, my gaze playing over the horizon.

"I meant no harm." He said gently and his voice seemed to whisper over my skin in a gentle caress.

"I know, I just had a bad day." I muttered, feeling, yet again, silly. My body didn't care about emotions and my eyelids threatened to close permanently sooner rather than later. "Promise me that if I fall asleep, you won't get me inside."

"There is an hour before dawn, and you are out in the open here. It's dangerous. "

"I'm not seeing the inside of this house ever again."

"What if I take you in the hot springs?" He offered.

"Only if the safeguards allow me to get out when I please. " Were my final words before sleep took over me.


	5. New sensations

I woke up slowly, fighting my way out of layers of fog, until I finally forced my eyelids to open. The first thing I felt were gentle fingers playing with my hair, but the moment I moved a little the hand retreaded. I was about to whine about it, to say 'Hey, why did you stop?' but then I felt the male, yeah it was definitely male, figure stretched next to me on the bed, my back pressed to his chest. I put two and two together and the complaint died away.

"Where are we?" I asked my voice still hoarse from sleep. God only knew what he had drugged me with to be so sleepy.

"In a bedchamber close to the hot spring." It was the word, or just the way he said bedchamber but it sounded so intimate. I swallowed hard because it was more than uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, but we were alone, under the ground, in a cave; there weren't that many things we could do to entertain ourselves. _I'm listening to your thoughts, amour._ His gentle voice whispered in my mind, intense with something strange, yet so familiar, one that I have heard in men many times. I could have yelled at him, I could have hit him, but all I did was blush. From all the things I could do I _blushed._ "I'm a dangerous creature, love, you might as well not think about other men in my presence. " He said his voice low and compelling. I grinned. There was that cutie back home, at school. He was so hot, with those beautiful blue eyes and blond hair, perfectly innocent. Oh, and the body he had, those muscles… I couldn't stop staring at him whenever he passed by. And those perfectly shaped lips, so kissable and touchable. I heard him growl, low and treating in my ear, the sound making me shudder. I still grinned, he was so easy to bug, to play with. " I thought that the other part of my soul in unable to be attracted to anybody but me." He spoke, more talking to himself, then to me.

"Well, I thought that Carpathians are ugly." I answered with a shrug and then tensed. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

"So you think I'm handsome?" I could hear his smile, feel him satisfaction as he already knew the answer.

"You don't have blue eyes and blond hair, so you are not handsome. " I corrected him, just as his fingers laced through my hair again, then gently traced the line on my neck, caressing my arm, to stop on my wrist and follow the same path back to my throat. _I'm in your mind, love, I'm well aware that you find the combination of blond hair and blue eyes gay._ He was yet again right, I find the combination disgusting.

I froze the moment his hand touched my back and traced the rough scars. I let a hiss escape my lips. Embarrassed was the last thing I felt but I knew he was going to ask me questions, and he has done nothing so far to earn the answers. I felt him tense, take a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, amour, I'm not going to make excuses of my actions, but harming you was never my goal. It's who I am, unfortunately, I'm the oldest of my brothers, it's in my blood to dominate, with or without the centuries of existing. " he was speaking, talking something, but my attention was where he touched me. I couldn't even hear what he said, something, but I couldn't care less, but the possessiveness he touched me with. His every move spoke mine, only mine, possession, obsession. All he had to do was say 'My precious' and that would be the end of me.

"I'm really not listening." I whispered as his fingers played over my stomach. I couldn't keep myself from feeling bare, still wearing only my bra, with the blanket kicked down on the floor. I swallowed hard, having no idea what to do in my condition.

"I know I shouldn't be doing this, I keep repeating myself that you are even under age, but you are here, looking like that, so perfect, so beautiful and I can't seem to be able to stop myself." He murmured, his lips almost touching the skin on my shoulder. I bit my lip, as I felt his hot breath on my skin, as I imagined those perfect lips, the hotness of his mouth… I wanted him, every part of him.

You know there is rarely problem with emotions and me, but now my body agreed, but not my mind. I wanted to kiss every part of him, but the rational and sane part of my brain couldn't keep but think how ridiculous it was. It was happening, the chemistry between lifemates was taking its toll on me, and I couldn't help the way my body reacted. I wanted to touch and be touched in return, I wanted, needed many thinks, but if he really didn't stop we were going to end his misery and mine on that same bed, tonight, while I was still underage and it was supposed to be illegal, at least to his species. His hand shaped my hip, his fingers playing on my inner thigh, just as butterflies danced in my stomach. I couldn't help the moan that escaped my lips. He growled, a deep masculine sound that shot right through my core, vibrating through my body and his at the same time. He pressed me harder to his chest and there was no mistaking the hot thick evidence of his desire. God help us we were doomed, there was no way out of it. I couldn't tell him to stop, I couldn't pull away, and the worst was that I didn't want him to stop.

"Tell me to stop, tell me and will I do my best to do so, but right now nothing is stopping me, not even your unwillingness."

"I don't want you to stop, but we can't do this. Once it starts, there is no stopping it, and I have no intention of sleeping with you, not now." It was a lie, I wanted to sleep with him more than he could possibly imagine, I needed him inside me, but I was faking unwillingness here, I was at least making an effort.

"Try to mean it, love. Oh god you are so soft." He murmured between kisses as his lips tasted my flesh over and over again. He shifted slightly, just a little, but his hand pushed at my shoulder and rolled me on my back to face him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing his neck, trailing a wet line down his chest, moving on top of him. He caught at my wrists and rolled us yet again as he moved on top of me, placing my hands over my hand and locking them in a deadly grip. It was so erotic and my lower body moved on its own accord to rub on his throbbing erection. The sound that escaped his lips was so hot and sexy that my stomach curled wickedly low.

I arched my neck to meet his lips as he trailed a line in the valley between my breasts. I cried out as he bit down on every place of flesh he could find, not fangs, normal human teeth that bit on my skin, playfully. It was pure eroticism. He let my hands go, careful because of me, and my fingers moved on their own to tangle in his thick mane of hair.

"We need to stop." I whispered breathless.

"Indeed we do, but it's not as easy as it sounds." He muttered as his lips closed around my nipple, through the fabric of my bra. I let my hair fall back and I just enjoyed the pure sensation.


	6. Again and again

I cried out in pleasure as wave after wave of strange feelings hit me, again and again. I had no time to think, there was only feeling, tasting, desiring, wanting. My brain was functioning on a primal level, it was all about want, about need, lust.

His lips moved up to my throat, as his tongue played over my skin, again and again. I could feel him everywhere, he was in my mind just as his hands memorized every line of my body, leaving flames, and wild storms of emotions behind.

Suddenly he stopped and gazed at my eyes, but something wasn't right. His focus was on something I couldn't see, or hear.

"Ginny is on the entrance of the cave, she wants to speak to you, she thinks it's important." He said, his voice pitched low, rough velvet, sexy and dangerous, erotic.

I rolled us, trust me it wasn't easy, or he just read my mind and knew what I wanted but easy or not, his torso was cradled between my hips.

I unfastened his shirt, button by button, in the speed of light. My concentration was on what my fingers were trying to do, but some things didn't like to be ignored, and that same thing was named Zacarias – a dangerous creature with dark intent to set my body on fire.

I had to slide the shirt off his shoulders with the idea of wearing it myself, after all I still didn't have a top, but to do just that, he had to rise.

As if reading my mind he moved his upper body in a sitting position, along with me. I yelped in surprise and wrapped my arms around his neck to keep from falling. I adjusted, intentionally brushing over the bulge of his pants. Giving him an evil smile I slid the cloth off his shoulders, my fingers meeting his bare flesh.

He touched and traced curves with those perfect hands like nobody else did, my skin burned and throbbed after his touch. All sanity had perished in seconds, there was no Ginny, no cave, no world, it was just the two of us. I scratched his back with my nails, , digging deep in his flesh, feeling hard muscles tighten and flex under my hands.

I couldn't think, I couldn't move as he leaned even closer, and out lips were so close, almost touching, yet not.

And painfully slow, his lips touched mine. At first he was merely touching, a light caress, but a hunger stronger than his will took over as his mouth fastened on mine and it was like the earth shifted beneath us. Light and colors danced under my eyelids just as his tongue thrust in my mouth and along with mine they made an equal dance.

I wanted to kiss him forever, I might have died just then and there, but there was a distant memory that I had to do something. I dig further and the realization his me, shit!

"Don't worry, I told her to wait, for a little while." He whispered, his voice low and hypnotic. I sucked in a raged breath, I was dreaming, I had to be dreaming, there was no way I was kissing Zacarias in my own will, wasn't I supposed to be stubborn? I was losing myself.

"We have your reputation to keep, wait until I'm 18, until then I will pretend that nothing ever happened." I said and moved to roll of the bed. I prayed that he wasn't reading my mind, I didn't want him to, because the realization that I wanted him so fast, wanted him in a way that I have never wanted another. It was more, I needed him, longed for his touch, my skin burned for him, I ached for him. I took a deep breath and walked down the labyrinth of halls, somehow knowing the way out, and quickly found myself in the cave with the hot spring. From there it was easy and soon enough the sun hit my skin, blinding me for a second.

It was pure hell in here, I had never been a fan of the sun and it was so hot in this part of the fucking earth. Life sucked, really it did and I came here just because my father would never think me coming in a place like this. I sighed and faced Ginny's pale face.

"What's up?" I asked, sounding a little hostile. She just grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the house, and we took the 30 minutes to the farm, I swear that the sun literally fried my skin.

_What was the problem?_ His voice echoed through my mind, lox, husky and inviting. I swallowed hard and shook my head._ I don't know, she hasn't told me yet. Aren't you supposed to be asleep, there are at least two hours to sunset._ His chuckle was so sexy, so hot, so perfect that I found myself wanting to hear it again and again. _It is so, but if I'm underground there are cases when I don't need to go under the sleep of my kind._ Even so, even if he was telling the truth I could feel his tiredness, taste it like it was my own._ Go get some sleep before I get sleepy as well_. With that I cut him off, I have no idea how I did it, but seconds later I felt him disappear, it was like I felt the moment his last breath died in his throat.

"Gin, he is asleep, what's going on?" I prompted gently as I could master.

"Your father is here, in front of the house, waiting for you, _with Paul_. " I froze the moment I heard her, the moment she spoke about my father I went suddenly pale.

"With Paul, what were you thinking, to leave him there with my father?" I tried not to imagine what my father could do to Paul, and then I fought not to faint. Ginny gave me a look that told me everything. She knew, and she probably didn't had a choice about leaving him there. "Oh Ginny, I'm sorry, I promise, my father won't do anything to him if he thinks that I'm really coming." I spoke, and meant it, I was sorry, even if I was telling her a lie.

"He told me that he wants to see' his precious Celene'. I don't know who he is but he is evil, I can taste it in my mouth, you need to contact Rafael, or Zacarias, or whatever…" She spoke fast and I barely understood her.

"Gin, calm down, the sun hasn't set yet, Rafael would be dead on his feet, the sun will hurt both of them. No way they could possibly help. He is seeking me, he wants me and he will do anything to get to me. If you don't do anything he won't hurt either of you. " I said while I thought that he would hurt them exactly because they meant something to me. I needed a gun, a knife, an axe, or whatever, I needed a weapon. " I've been through this before, Gin, I will survive again." I wasn't sure I was talking to her at all.

"Can't we just knock him down somehow?" Ginny asked, frantic to find some nice thought to clung to.

"Gin, think, I didn't get my powers out of thin air, he is like me, a little different, but he isn't human, and neither am I, probably. He is powerful, strong, lethal and a psychopath. He kills, it's what he does." Why did I ever thought I could escape him, there was no such thing, I have been deluding myself the way Ginny was trying to do. "Gin, you need to hide, I'll do everything in my power to save Paul, I give you my word, but you need to take cover."

"I'm staying. What does he wants from you?"

"When my mother died he established that his genes weren't enough to create another like me, he tried but the child was mundane, human as it could be. He wants an army of us, but tango takes two and I'm the person that can obviously dance and be the second . "I explained with bitterness.

"You mean, he wants to …?"

"It's exactly what I mean."

"Oh my god." She whispered and I envied her innocence, she didn't knew the half of it.

"Pity it's not going to work, get out of here, if you don't I'm going to knock you down personally." She shook her head and glared at me stubbornly. I arched a brow and in the next second my fist flew at her face, knocking her on the ground. I really hopped that I haven't hurt her, and with a muttered sorry, I dragged her into some bushes and ran the rest of the way toward the house.


	7. Being selfish

I was being selfish, and even worse, I knew that I was being a coward as I sneaked inside the house, up the stairs to my room.

I had in mind to grab my stuff and disappear out of thin air. Trust me it was for the best. I couldn't do anything for Paul, even if I had promised so to Ginny. Zacarias or Rafael will be there in time to heal what was left of him, and I knew that he would be alive. My father liked his victims to remember him, and how will they do that if they are dead? Ginny was safe for the next hour, and if I run away my father would follow me, and leave everybody else alone.

There was no chance on earth I could risk to get caught, death would never be able to reach me if Jonathan catches me and fulfills his purposes.

I've grown up, he would not catch me alive, but before that I had to distract him, make him follow me and then kill myself or whatever.

I did not want to die, trust me I wanted to live, to enjoy the world but the only chance to say "You're screwed!" to my father and actually be true was to destroy myself. If I did that I wouldn't be rapped by him, he wouldn't be able to build an army of benders like myself, and he would be so utterly pissed off that he would make a mistake and will get caught. See? If I died, life would be perfect.

There was only one problem… Zacarias.

I sighed, I wasn't going to think about him, I would just pray that he would kill Jonathan for me, hunt him down and destroy him.

Who knows, maybe hell would be a lovely place to visit.

The moment I entered my room I realized my mistake, but it was already too late. The door slammed behind me and I was left alone with the only person I really feared. He knew me well enough to guess my moves. He have always thought me a coward and I was proving my name with the very breath I took.

I faced him, but I could feel the blood drain from my face. I took a deep breath. It didn't help.

He had never been tall, but he was huge never the less. He had broad shoulders, big enough to fill a door, he had muscles that god only knows how he build, and right now he was sitting so peacefully on a armchair next to the window – my only other way out. I swallowed hard.

"Celene, it's so good to see you again." Well, what the hell, maybe if I was bad enough he would kill me. Yeah right... but of course there wasn't anything worse with pissing him off… I hopped.

"Hello, Jonathan, how is the army going?" I said like nothing have ever happened and we were old buddies talking about the weather.

"My second in command decided to flee away from me." He spoke slowly, giving me an accusing look.

"Well, you got to see my point of view. I'm too young to have children." He rose from the chair, slowly and meaningfully he made his move toward me. I swallowed hard and I had to really fight my panic.

"You are going to, one way or another." He strode toward me and in that moment I wanted just do disappear. I was unarmed and I couldn't reach any of the elements, somehow Jonathan had build a ward that kept me away from all my magic. But that meant that the thing kept him away from the elements as well. The advantage was there, but even in hand to hand fight I was going to lose.

No, I was not going to reach toward Zacarias, even as I screamed in terror in my mind, I fought that battle as well.

"I made you my second, we were going to rule an army, we were going to destroy everything that stood on our way, I gave you so much and all you did was to throw it away. You are going to pay for that, I would have never thought that one of my blood would do such a thing." He was already so close, too close. I took a step back, but there was nowhere to go, I was already with my back pressed to the wall.

_I will be there soon, Celene, keep him talking just for a little more. _

The moment I heard his voice I relaxed and tensed at the same time.

_No, don't. The sun will burn you. Oh god just don't, you'll never get here in time!_ I screamed as an answer. God only knew what the sun could do to him. And then I felt the electricity in the air. I glanced at the window and saw the wind swirling, clouds forming and a part of me responded. I wanted to be outside, to feel the magic course through me, and fill me with the same power.

I saw the frown on Jonathan's face as well, he was, too, watching the window. Then his gaze focused on me again.

"Have you found another one like us, daughter. Because is not me doing that storm and nor is you. Who have you called for help?" The satisfied smirk on his face told me everything. He knew the answer, he have always known.

_Zacarias, it's a trap, he wants you, not me. He thinks you are like me, but you are not… you aren't, right?_ Prove of that was the fact that he slept through the day, the sun may have never been my thing but I wasn't lethargic through the day hours. _You are half what I am and half something else. Rafael tells me that he has known about your powers, but he has never guessed that you may be part Carpathian._ It worked as a distraction, but it meant that Jonathan wasn't my father, it was impossible. _What's the other part of me?_ There was small silence before his answer came. _I don't know, I think that your mother have been a half breed as well, human and something else, while your father has been Carpathian and you are a mixture of three different creatures._

Perfect, now I'm not human either, not full Carpathian, and I will never know what my mother had been. _Every Carpathian and vampire can bend the elements, there isn't away we could even guess what your mother was._

No he wasn't right, they bended them but the elements speak to me, whisper and respond to my calls. I hear the beat of the earth, I sense the distress of the wind, feel the pureness of the water, and I can taste the wildness of the fire. I was enough in Zacarias mind to know that he heard my thoughts, but I could sense the way he commanded the elements to serve him, to help him kill, and it was a lot more different then my way.

_How do you think I knew about your kind. They told me, great stories about a specious of powerful men that clean the earth of the evil. About the misfortunes they go through until they meet their light. I always thought that to meet your light, means to face the sun._ I shook my head, deciding that it wasn't the time to ask, it was time to survive.

"Why did you come here? You aren't here for me, what, you think that there is another like us, no, like me? Let me enlighten you, there isn't? I'm the only one of my kind and I have no intention of giving birth to another like myself. I better die!" I hissed. I had no desire to run, yeah I was scared, but I wasn't panicked. I could still think rationally, well, maybe without the rational part.

"Celene, I'm your father, I'm the one that gave you your strong genes, the one that gave you the power over the elements. We are both the same thing and you are being stupid. I'm offering you the world, how can you still deny me?" He stood right in front of me and reached with one strong hand to caress my cheek.

_Zacarias if you put one step in this house, I'm going to molest you…_ if I survive. The last I didn't send to him. _Stay in the cave_! I felt his strange amusement, but under it was a strong emotion I couldn't recognize. Was it hunger, or was it just pure anger? I had no idea.

_Do you doubt me so much? I'm a strong man, love, I'm not so easily killed. _

I grunted my teeth, there were only a few ways to make him stay away and one was to give him a distraction.

_Fine, but Paul is, you need to heal him, and all you can do for me is undo the ward that is on the window. _

_If I undo the spell it will give your father's powers back, are you sure you can fight him? _

_He would never cut himself off his so called powers, the wards don't do anything him. If I'm right he isn't as powerful as he claims._

I felt the moment the wards gave up and faltered, but obviously Jonathan didn't. He kept looking smug and pleased, like everything was going as planned.

I tried to hit him, but he caught my wrist and twisted until we both heard the crack. I ignored the pain, it wasn't there, it wasn't there, I kept repeating myself. He slapped me with the back of his hand and I fell on the ground. I fell, but I didn't hurt anything, but the moment I caught a glimpse of what was under the bed I screamed. I couldn't help it. Paul was lying there, his face dead pale, his clothes covered in blood. I screamed again, but I saw one knife still sticking out of his flesh.

I knew Jonathan, it was all meant to happen, and I knew that the knife was stuck somewhere vital, and it was the only thing that kept him alive. If I took the knife out he was going to bleed to death.

_Zacarias, tell me I can trust your healing abilities._

_You can trust me in everything._ His answer was perfect but I couldn't let him see what I was going to do. I don't know how, but I cut off the connection and I grabbed the handle of the knife.

Jonathan caught my hair and spun me around. I cried out, but his lips fastened on mine, roughly, bruising me. I took the opportunity and struck him with the knife, the blade going deep, piercing his lungs, cutting his breath away. I struck him a second time and I let him fall on the ground. I threw a vase at the window and it broke the glass, allowing the wind to swirl inside. With its help I lifted the bed, threw it to one side and kneeled next to Paul. I reached for Zacarias, but there was only darkness. I swallowed hard and tried again, and only endless pain hit me. I wanted to vomit, my stomach burned and lurched, my skin ached. As sudden as it came, it went away and I was left alone in that room with Paul's dead body. I felt the tears slide down my face, one after another and I couldn't care less.

* * *

"He is gone, she is gone, Paul is gone as well" Rafael stated in front of his brother and lifemate. Ginny was nowhere to be seen as well but Zacarias was sure she was around.

"He had laid traps, many and one deadlier then the next. "

"It was so for us as well" Said Rafael but he could see the torment in his brother's eyes.

"She tried to reach me mentally, but I cut off the contact, protecting her from the pain. Where is she, she told me she needed healing powers for Paul, he had been hurt."

"Nicolas says Paul is alive, but he can't reach him."

"What does 'can't reach him' means?" Zacarias groaned Rafael could sense the anger, the blood lust that was going to drive his brother to madness.

"Paul is fine, he's underground and healing."A voice spoke from behind them. They both turned in unison and the girl with wild hair and green eyes had enough time to smile at their synchrony, before she fainted.

* * *

_Amour, wake up._ A suiting voice whispered in my head, it was so inviting, yet so suiting and relaxing that it made me sleepy all over again. I felt the masculine chuckle and my eyes flew open just as I moved in a sitting position before my eyes had enough time to focus on my surroundings. I could feel I was on a bed, and that his muscular form was stretched next to me. Then the memories came back painfully fast.

"He's gone, Zacarias, I swear I stabbed him twice, pierced his lungs but when I returned the knife was on the ground and he was gone, just like that! He will be coming back, I need to move away from here. "I was talking nonsense. I understood what was I saying, but he had no chance in getting what I wanted to say. A hand pushed at my shoulder and forced me to lie down.

"Sh, love, you need to relax, you have been asleep for almost three days."

"What? Jesus, _Paul_, I totally forgot about him. Why didn't you wake me up, dammit!" I exclaimed, trying to get up from the bed. I couldn't see a thing, whenever I was there were no windows because when I meant dark, I meant pitch black. But I had an idea where I was, and the comfortable bed was enough to confirm my guess.

"Just tell us where he is, Rafael will find him."

"You idiot, he is right under your nose and you still hasn't sensed him?" Well, maybe I did a good job after all. "He is next to the hot spring, where the soil is rich."

"Love, why is he even underground?"

"Human kind are children of the earth as well, they just don't know it. The four elements are healing him, he'll need a lot more time, He nearly died. I've got to check on him." I fought to rise again, but he didn't let me. I sighed and took the next best option. I cuddled closer to him and gave up, my face buried in the crook of his neck. His chuckle vibrated right through me, stirring and waking things on its way. Things that should better stay untouched. "Can I make you a hockey?" I asked, feeling hopeful. I had to do something, and his throat was so close and so inviting. What can I say, I had a thing for necks.

"It won't work, it won't last a minute." I groaned in protest. You got to be kidding me.

"How did I end up with a guy that can't have a love-bite, I love to do them so much!" I protested and he laughed, cheerful and innocent, but his laughter made me shudder with emotion that was not as innocent. He nuzzled my neck and things in me curled and if I was a cat, I would be purring.

Then I realized something and if it wasn't so bloody dark he would see me glare at him. There was no leather on me, meaning that he had dressed in something else….

"You removed my clothes! Why?" I exclaimed and I could feel the lips on my neck curl in a smile.

"They were covered in blood, and my shirt was too big for you." No shit, I wanted to say, but I kept silent. God only knew what he could have done to me and I wouldn't remember, nor would I have felt a thing. For his torture I leaned and bit his neck. I couldn't bite the way he probably did, and honestly I didn't want to, but there was something unbelievably hot and sexy in biting him, even with human teeth.

I could feel him tense, his muscles flex under my hand that lay on his chest. I felt the change in him, felt the predator in him peek out. I stood still and was very aware of the fact that his lips were still on my throat. His tongue touched my skin once, twice before his teeth sunk into my flesh. I cried out at the sudden pain washed over me then wave after wave of pleasure hit me, stunning me.

I could feel the way my essence left my body, fed him, fed his hunger, the way it made his body, along with mine, react. I sucked in a breath as his tongue swirled again over my skin, healing the small wounds. I could feel him in my mind, as he whispered something so hypnotizing and entailing that I barely knew what I was doing, pure compulsion, strong and deadly. When I realized what he was doing to me I shook it off, yet I did everything that sweet voice wanted me to.

I knew I was tasting his blood in my mouth, but I had no idea how it had gotten there, the next thing I heard were his words, words that sounded so perfect, that I memorized them immediately.

"I claim you as my lifemate. I belong to you. I offer my life for you." He waited until my tongue swept over his wound, I too had a healing agent in my saliva, then he continued. "I give to you my protection, my allegiance, my heart, my soul, and my body. I take into my keeping the same that is yours. Your life, happiness and welfare will be cherished and placed above my own for all time. You are my lifemate, bound to me for all eternity and always in my care."

The words rang in my head, again and again. I could feel the change; the strange ties that connected us now, weren't there before. I felt like I belonged, like I was really safe, I felt treasured, cherished. I knew he had bond us, but the strangest thing was the elements didn't seem to protest, they were as calm as never. I felt peaceful.

"Can you light a candle; it's too dark in here." I whispered not sure in my voice. One candle flared to life, the shadows dancing on the walls. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and slowly kissed and explored every inch of skin I could reach. My hands were unstoppable force of nature as they moved on they own accord over his body, tracing his ripped muscles, on by one as I enjoyed the way they seemed to flex under my fingers.

I didn't know about leather, but even the clothes he had put on me seemed too tight. I wanted out of them, wanted so desperately.


	8. A storm of emotions

**Well, in the last few days I had looked through my previous chapters and fixed most of the mistakes. Anyhow, I'm still wondering how you managed to even read them. Seriously, I don't know about you, but there were places where even _I_ couldn't understand myself. There were spelling mistakes, grammar problems, missing words, missing letters ... the list is long, but from now on I'll be careful to read what I post before I submit anything. Thanks to all of you that enjoy this story, I really hope you like it. Unfortunately, you know, I have to write an R-rated chapter and it is going to take more than I originally thought. **

**Enjoy! Reviews are all welcomed.**

* * *

I scratched his flesh, again and again, biting his neck once more. His head fell back as a groan escaped his lips, a low, masculine sound that made me shudder in reaction.

"You have no idea what you do to me." He said, his voice a velvet seduction.

"I do tend to bite a lot you know, and you have such a lovely reactions to my bites." Some part of me knew he was grinning, smiling widely, even if I couldn't see it, I knew.

"You don't know the first rule of biting, you have to pierce the skin, draw blood. "

"Are you masochist, you have one hell of a bite, dear Carpathian, but I don't have fangs, and I can't do anything about pain."

"It that what you think, that I control your mind, remove the pain and give you false pleasure?" I fell silent for a second, I had no answer, did I really believe that? No. Did I believe that the pleasure was truly real, that is not one of the many tricks he hides in his sleeve, that is not like his voice – pure compulsion, or like his eyes – intense and hypnotic? No. "Your mind has wards, shields that most of what you call my tricks can't pierce. You are protected by something I have never witnessed before in another being, now that I have tasted your blood I can fully reach your thoughts. I could see only what you allowed me to, but now I can almost feel what you feel." Was I supposed to be glad about the 'almost' part?

"Because our minds are merged, right? I can feel you in the back of my mind, eavesdropping on my thoughts, on my emotions. You know, it's rude to do that, you never asked me." _Oh, but I did. I could feel your mind constantly reaching toward mine, wanting the touch, even if you never realized it._ I sucked in a breath at the sound of his hypnotic voice. Was he trying to bewitch me? If he was, he was definitely succeeding. I heard his soft laughter echo in my mind and I wanted to hit him, smack that pretty jaw of his.

He caught my wrist with one hand, gripped them with a deadly lock. He rolled us and moved on top and pinned them over my head, just as I wrapped my legs around him.

I could feel the hard evidence of his desire and for once I let myself touch his mind, a faint probe.

His mind was like wide opened doors, just for me to enter and explore. I had full access to everything that has ever happened to him. It was a show of great amount to trust, but I really didn't want to invade his past. Even if he was my lifemate, it didn't mean that I had to know everything about him.

I bit his neck, just as I stayed in his mind to feel the reaction. I expected pain, because trust me I wasn't biting lightly, but the way his body clenched as a wave of pure bliss hit me, hit us ridding us hard. I bit him again and again enjoying the pure sensations, but he seemed to have other things in mind.

His lips fastened on mine and I let my head fall back as he trailed down my neck with hard persistent kisses.

"Your blood is like a drug." I whispered and I heard his laughter echo through the chamber. "No really, I feel dizzy as if I have smocked something really good." I felt him tense and his eyes rose to meet mine. His gaze was calculating and I actually felt a warm feeling as his soul slipped inside my body. I was conscious enough and cut his access to my brain and I feared I haven't been fast enough. As fast as the warm feeling came it went away and I felt bare, empty.

The world was so strange, and colorful. It was filled with colors I have never seen before. The shadows on the wall were so beautiful they had no shape, but was that a dragon? Oh yeah, and I could see a wolf too, or was that a bird? Oh yeah, that was a wing and there was the eye….

"Celene concentrate! It's a drug, try to stay focused, listen to my voice. Snap out of it!" I heard distantly that somebody called for me. Focus, it said. What did that mean? Concentrate? Focus? Listen to that voice? But how could I not, it was a magic its self, how could I not obey.

I had to think, think? What did that mean?

"What's happening?" I felt so dizzy that my stomach complained, threatening to lurch. I groaned feeling sick.

"Can you hear me, amour?" He whispered and I nodded. I could hear him, oh yeah I could but my mind responded in ways that it shouldn't. Through my mind flashed series of images the next dirtier than the one before. My body was responding to the closeness of his body wildly, wanting him, lusting for every part of him. It was all wrong. I shouldn't have been feeling this, not in such time, not when my stomach threatened to explode every second.

I could sense him carrying me and the next thing I felt were my legs in hot, boiling water. I hissed, trying to crawl my way out of the burning heat that wasn't helping at all, but his strong arms held me in place, held me still and I couldn't do anything else but obey.

Suddenly power swirled inside of me, raw and angry, untamed yet not. It wasn't untamed, it was mine, it was my own anger, frustration reflecting on it. I clung to him as the power moved through me, blowing me away, yet not.

I could feel the wind blow at my face, as if we were in the outside, under the opened sky, yet we were in a cave, there was no sky, but the wind was there.

The water swirled around my legs, threatening to consume me crawling over both our bodies, but it was strangely suiting, comforting.

I could feel the earth shudder with my distress, move beneath us, form something I couldn't understand. I could feel the spell that was being carved in the rocks next to us, and it was her doing. I could feel the spell already working just as fire licked at my insides, burning me. I screamed in pain, but I could feel the fire destroying all traces of poison in my body.

I was made of those four elements, they were what made my heart beat, it shouldn't have been painful. The moment I thought rationally the pain disappeared, it was natural, my brain was just processing it the human way.

I sighed and the water retreaded, the flames disappeared, the earth stood still the way she was meant to be, but the wind never stopped.

The air knew me best, it knew the way to fix my mood and help with my problems, was to caress my skin and comfort me the way only one other could.

Zacarias' hands wrapped around me more tightly, squeezing the breath out of me, but I didn't mind.

I could feel his lips on my hair, in my neck, on my shoulder, on my ear, on every piece of skin they could reach. I sucked in a raged breath and shuddered.

"I'm fine, I'm okay." I whispered, because I wasn't so sure in my voice yet, it felt raw, as I had been screaming more then I originally thought.

"He had drugged you, when I entered your body to examine it, there was only one unhealed puncture mark. God only knows what he had drugged you with, your body was fighting with everything it got. I didn't notice, I was too distracted to even examine your body when you woke. It was why you have been sleeping so long, your body was fighting in your sleep." I was in his mind, I could feel the way he blamed himself, the way he had endured my pain because he wasn't able to do anything else.

"You didn't stick the needle in my skin, you didn't poison me, it wasn't your fault. Hell, it is my body we are talking about and I didn't feel it!" I exclaimed, but I have never been good in sweet talk. I had no idea how to comfort a person, how to suit him, how to help. It had never been a part of my life before, my existence was all about running and surviving. It was still supposed to be, but somehow he came in the center of the situation and I felt like my world spun around him now.

It uncomfortable, yet at some level it felt good.

I have always wanted to belong, there was something warm about being taken care of.

I wanted to feel that, enjoy it, knowing that one day it would end. I wanted to memorize it, and then I wanted to feel its lost. Maybe it would be enough to teach that part of me that had the nerve yet to hope that there was nothing permanent. One day you have it and the next it all crumbles down to pieces.

I have lived through it before, why was I still hopping that things would work out, and it was all false.

I have never liked a guy in my life before him, I felt and knew what sex was, it was good, then it had to end, until you meet the next guy that does something stupid. You get hurt and you forget all about the good, because commitment such as sex had made things go wrong.

It was all better when I was alone, when I took decisions alone, when I didn't feel, why did he had to come in my world and bring emotions along with him? Why did he had to interfere? I was perfect off without him.

"But you were never happy." He whispered an answer to my thoughts.

"I don't even know what happy means, I never did." Maybe there was a distant memory of me and my mother laughing, but it was gone, I couldn't remember the feeling. Happiness didn't matter to me.

"But it does to me, Your happiness and welfare are placed above mine. I give you this promise, with every breath I take I will try to make you happy. I will show you what it means to love, to cherish somebody, to treasure someone else's presence in your life. Being alone in your own world is not everything. The world can offer you so much more. I can offer you so much more."

"You are stuck with me, big boy, you are stuck with my ideals, with my thoughts, with my decisions, with my mind, with my nightmares, with my fears, with my desires, but nothing of that gives you the right to try and change me. "

"I don't mind being stuck with you, I will treasure it till I die, I will treasure you until the end of my existence, but there is the catch, you are stuck with me as well. I have bonded us, in one way or another you are made to be mine, and I yours. There is not a man on earth that can satisfy your needs the way I can, there in not one that you can love, really love, but me. You are the one and only, you are the only light to my darkness and you are my match, perfect or not. I can be gentle, but I kill, I'm meant to kill. There is a hunger in me that is never sated, that fights to rise every second, it seeks a way out, but it wants to kill and tear and it's merciless. I'm cold and efficient, and recently I have found that I'm a jealous man. You are mine, you will always be. Your fears don't scare me, your mind, your thoughts – they don't draw me away, they appeal to me. You have a strange way of thinking, the patterns of your brain are like a labyrinth that has no way out, nor in, but somehow I have managed." He touched my temple " I'm in there, and once I'm inside there is no getting me out. I worship your ideals, and I'm going to fight your every decision until you stop fighting mine. A big part of you thinks that you don't have nightmares, that you aren't easily scared, but you are so wrong. Even now, I can feel your fear, but what matters most is that you can function like it isn't there, you can ignore it, you don't panic, you just make your move despite it. It fascinates me. You fascinate me."

He had a voice like no other, it was low, soft velvet that caressed my skin, but his words were a totally another matter. They made anger in me flare to life, an anger that threatened to consume me, to burn what was left of my sanity, but it wanted to rip him to pieces as well, and that was enough for me.

"No, I will not let you do this, you are not going to take over my life and change everything about me that makes me, me. I like being miserable, I like being alone, I enjoy to think myself fearless, even if I know it is not so. I will never let you inside my world!" I could feel his reaction and my words burned like acid.

"Why?"

"First you had the nerve to try and put me on a shelf until you rose for the night. With trying to make me safe, you intentionally locked me and cut my ability to reach toward the elements, yet you still ask why?" I exclaimed moving away from his embrace as I turned around to look at him. It was my first mistake, the second was to look him in the eyes. The pure dark obsidian of that gaze was filled with knowledge, it was like he knew more than I did.

"You don't mean your words, I told you that I had no intention of cutting any of your powers, and you asked for it, you challenged me to lock you in that house and I took the bait. You don't hold what happened that night against me, not really. Even if it's against all your inner laws, you are a forgiving person, but I'm not him. I'm not the one that you call your father, I will never hurt you the way he did. I'm not that boy either, the one that left after you gave him one very precious gift, I'm not him. I'm a man, but I'm not like any other." I grunted my teeth and glared at him.

"You are all the same, all you think about is sex and dominance, if you are not one of those that don't have the nerve to even talk to me. You are all identical, my chemistry is compatible with yours, so what? I've fought each one of them and I will fight you too."

"But you won't win, the chemistry between lifemates is already working on you, you don't even want to fight me."

"It won't take me that long to learn to ignore that as well." I snapped, my anger boiling in my veins like hot lava. "Maybe I will just leave, yeah it will tear me apart, so what? I'll survive it, even if I'm not whole I will be away from you, I'll be free. You want to please me? You vowed to put my welfare above yours? You can never give me freedom, never ever. You told me beautiful words, Zacarias, but you will never ever let me, you will never let me leave like that, because your selfishness is bigger than your honor. Your word means so little." I spoke with true menace, taking a threatening step in his direction.

He just closed the distance between us and kissed me, hot and furious. I could feel his anger in that kiss just as my insides melted, wanting him closer, but I longed to suit his anger to calm him down. I shook that thought away and pulled away, glaring at him.

"Go. If you think that it's going to give your freedom back, if you think that you are better without me, leave this place, go somewhere I can't find you, if that is even possible. Go, but know that I giving away everything, I give you everything even if I know what is going to happen. You are going to think I'm dead, you will survive it, I know your will, but not without a cost, and by that time I'll be insane, I won't survive that same battle and I won't be strong enough to face the dawn, I will become the same thing I hunt and then nobody will be safe. If you think that going away is going to make you free, that you are going to be well and happy then go, I won't stop you even if I'm well aware that you will suffer greatly. But after the first week, or the first day, ask yourself who is being selfish. " He moved to sit on the edge of the mineral pool we were in, for once not meeting my eyes.

There was no anger in him, none, there was just pure pain and agony, misery.

"You don't mean it." I responded trying to believe he didn't.

"With everything what is left of me, I say that I do, go and find peace." He whispered and finally gave me his eyes, but it was pure torture, I could see his torment, his suffering. I knew how much it cost him to say that, but he did mean it and it frightened me. I suddenly went pale; could he really become vampire just from this? "Where did you think vampires come from? They are Carpathians that have lost all kind of hope and have given themselves to the rush of the kill."

Now his voice was empty, cold and distant, somewhere far away. He rose slowly and sighed.

"The sun will burn your skin, it's noon. Wait for the sunset before you go, it will be too painful if you don't. "He spoke slowly and then he jumped over the edge of the pool and walked away. He stopped and turned to give me a sad smile. "Know this, love, even now I'm sure that I can win you over, that one night you would give yourself to me freely, but I won't do it. Maybe what I have become is worse then what is facing you outside these walls." With those words he disappeared in the dark halls leading to his bedchamber.

I felt the first tear fall down my cheek and just as suddenly he wasn't there, I couldn't feel him in my mind, he was gone.

I took a deep breath and focused on checking on Paul, just as I kept telling myself that he would be back, that he would return and tell me that he didn't mean it, that he would never let me go.

I had no idea what I wanted anymore, I couldn't stand myself, one moment I wanted him and the next I denied it, what was happening to me?

--------------

It was sunset, I could feel it, yet I never felt him rise. I never felt the breath he had to take to walk among us, he didn't even stir.

I had to fight not to scream, I was going out of my mind. He had cut himself off me; it was like a blow in the face, like he was giving me a taste of my own medicine. I was close to tears, close to the point when panic took over entirely. It was like he wasn't there at all, like he was gone from this world, like dead and gone away from me.

Paul was okay, even when I had send all my physical and mental power to feed him with healing magic it had not been enough to make me faint, and it never worked as a decent distraction.

I wanted to tear and scream with frustration, I was going insane, there was no other way. He was still there, even the earth told me that he was just sleeping the sleep of his people. The wind suited me, or tried, but somehow it didn't work, not now. The part of me that was the fire wanted to flare with anger and destroy, the water stayed silent.

It was the strangest things of all and it was why I jumped in the mineral pool and seeked her comfort.

It was hopeless, it helped, yeah it did, but I totally lost a track of time, it could have been days. I could have been in the water with months and I wouldn't even know it. I had fallen asleep, a sleep different then his and so like everybody else's. It was sleep, but I just didn't need to breathe, the element provided the oxygen I needed through some other way, I never asked and I never knew. I didn't care, but the moment I walked out of the water it was even worse than before.

He was dead, I was sure of it. I could even imagine his cold body lying in the ground, peaceful. I had done this to him, he just did what I asked.

I talked about his selfishness, it was always about him, but I realized it has never been that way. He cared for me more than he did for himself. The worst thing a Carpathian could suffer through was losing a lifemate, it hurt the most and there was nothing that stopped a hunter from turning once his light was gone.

I didn't know that before, I didn't believe him when he told me, but the elements confirmed and I had no idea what to do.

I couldn't believe that he wasn't dead, I felt it in me, so strong and powerful, I was so sure, yet the elements told me other things, and they never lie.

I had to do something so I just ran inside the dark halls that lead to his chamber. I walked inside the big room with the help of the earth. With one move of my hand the candles flared to life, hundreds of them, making the room glow with light. I shook my head as my eyes adjusted, but he was nowhere to be seen, the room was empty, but the earth told me he was there.

Were the elements fooled, but then I felt him, felt his cold lifeless body under the floor at least 6 feet in the soil.

The elements helped me yet again and the earth opened for me, revealing his body just as the earth pushed at him so he was soon on the level of the floor, lying lifeless.

I kneeled next to him just as his eyes shot open, his chest suddenly moving, his gaze focusing on me, his heartbeat strong and steady. I merged his mind with mine immediately, not carrying if I wasn't as gentle as I should have been. I could feel the hunger beating at him, his beast threatening to rise.

"You have been starving yourself, idiot, why in the world would you do that?" I cried out, yet my voice wasn't accusing. He never answered just stared at me and there was wonder in those black orbs. "Yeah I'm here, I never left." I whispered smiling. His head was in my lap as I traced the lines of his face, I could see the weariness written all over his face, the exhaustion. He closed his eyes and a heavy sigh escaped his lips. I could feel tears slide down my cheeks, but I was smiling, still tracing the line of his jaw and nose.

I didn't pay attention, but at some point he had opened his eyes and they were burning a hole in my neck. I put my wrist on his lips.

"Drink." I whispered and I could feel his hunger beating at me as it was my own. He shook his head in denial. "You need it, idiot, drink, before I start biting necks thinking that it will sate my own hunger."

"No" His voice was deep, throaty and as sexy as hell. He moved in a sitting position and gathered me in his arms. Even in this condition when he was supposed to be weak he radiated power from pore of his being, raw but controlled, wild but a calm surge, untamed yet not.

His fingers removed the hair from my neck and I leaned my head on one side, exposing the line of my throat. I heard his growl and felt it at the same time, it shot right to my very core and the fact that his body was so close didn't help a lot. "Do you offer to me freely?" He asked, his lips touching my neck softly, causing me to shudder.

"I offer to you freely." I whispered and I felt his tongue touch my skin once, twice before I felt his teeth sink in my flesh. I cried as the white hot pain shot through me, stunningly me then quickly it was just pleasure, strong, powerful like no other, one that made me writhed in desire for more, more of him.

I called for power, called for the pure magic that was always inside of me and it responded, flowing through my veins, feeding his hunger more than my blood possibly could.

He drew away quickly, taking a deep breath, then another. I could feel the strength coursing through his veins, yet I could feel blood still dripping from my throat. I swallowed hard and shook my head to clear it. I could feel that he had taken more blood then he had too, but the elements were working on healing me, and the dizziness was slowly fading.

I touched my neck and my hand came back crimson. I looked him in the face, but his eyes were closed, when they opened it was like hell had gone loose. I cursed under my breath as I saw the red glitter in his orbs, just as gaze was locked on my neck.

Just like that he kissed me, as if he was seeking something to hold on to, but the battle in him was raging. I kissed back with all my might, wrapping my arms around his neck, urging him to focus on what I was doing, not to his beast.

At once I felt the change, but I wasn't sure it was really that good, because his urgency for feeling me, touching me and tasting me was stronger and I thought.

I couldn't do anything about it, so I gave myself to him, hell I didn't want him to stop, I wanted other things, more intimate things and they didn't include the clothes that seemed so tight over my body.

His lips moved down my throat to close the small wounds and to lick every trace of blood on my skin. I cried out and as sudden as that he lifted me up.

He lied me on the bed and stretched next to me, his hands never stopping their small exploration over my body.

"How long has it been since I have fallen asleep?" He asked and I made a face.

"I have no idea." He arched a perfect eyebrow.

"Rafael says three weeks." My eyes widened to the size of plates and I buried my face in the crook of his neck. "What have you been doing in the last three weeks, love? " He asked sounding amused.

"I have been sleeping, just like you."

"Sleeping? Alone I hope?" I bit my lip, was he teasing me.

"No…" It was true I wasn't alone. ".. If you count Paul and the elements." I added and his hand stopped right on the inner side of my hip, his skin so hot, that in pierced a hole in my leg, my attention was there, as his hand moved up teasing me dangerously. I moved in a sitting position and I pulled at his hand. "Let's get out for a walk, I'm sick of this cave."

"Come on, there is a storm outside." He said grinning and he practically carried me out of the cave.

The fresh air hit me and I took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of wet grass. He let me step on my feet and I ran deeper in the woods. I heard his laughter as he chased after me.

I ran at full speed, challenging his so big Carpathian self, trying to prove that even a superhero he couldn't catch me.

Well, that proved to be wrong as to strong arms wrapped around me, pushing meso I fell on the ground and rolled. My back was on the dirt as I gazed up at his looming figure. It never stopped to amaze me how tall he was, next to him I was short and tiny.

"Because you really are short and tiny." He said with amusement. I rolled my eyes.

"That's not true, I'm taller than most guys!" I exclaimed.

"And you hate that fact, plus I think they are short too." I laughed, getting to my feet, not taking the hand he offered me. Finally he just grabbed my forearm and pulled me up. I glared at him but he just looked at the sky before a torrent poured over our heads, soaking us with water.

I found myself laughing but the sound died as those black eyes locked on mine. I shuddered with the intensity of that gaze, he looked so possessive and those eyes burned with heat that set my body in flames. Even if the rain was refreshingly cold it wasn't enough to cool me down, there was no force of nature that could put out the fire that swirled inside of my body, threatening to consume me.

Butterflies danced in my stomach as he leaned painfully slow to brush his lips with mine, a chaste kiss, a mere touch, but I wasn't okay with just mere anything. I rose on my tiptoes, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him like the world depended on it.

It was just us and I put everything in that kiss, everything I felt. I had thought his dead, it was good to feel his lips on mine. His dominant self was even welcomed as he traced every line of my body with his hands, forcing me to succumb to his strength. I bit his lower lip, just pointing out that I wasn't under his spell, yet, he had to work a little bit harder and god he did.

I gave him a taste of his medicine as my hands traced every defined muscle on his chest, glad that he was shirtless. I lowered my lips to touch his skin, to taste every drop of rain, even if it was a torrent and the task was impossible, but of course something is impossible only if you believe it is.

My nails dug at the muscles of his back playfully and his growl shot straight to my nipples, hardening them to high erected peaks.

His fingers traced the line of my spine gently then he arched my back backwards to take possession of my breast, through the fabric of my top.

The heat of his mouth closed around my nipple and I cried out, my voice echoing through the forest. Each pull of his lips brought a hit of new sensations as a liquid pool formed deep in my core.

He moved us on the wet grass as his leg parted my knees and I wrapped my limps around his waist, raising my lower body to brush his throbbing erection.


End file.
